Mumbai’s construction chaos claims teen’s life

The iron sheet on the Santracruz-Chembur Link Road at Kapadia Nagar. Pic/Satej Shinde

An Iron sheet, temporarily installed on Santacruz-Chembur Link Road, led to the death of an 18-year-old woman as the bike she was on slipped, bringing her under a dumper truck on Friday afternoon. The family of the woman has demanded action against the authority which laid the iron sheet on the road. The woman's brother, who was riding the bike, did not receive any major injuries. The woman, identified as Anju Vidyanand Sahu, was riding pillion with her brother Vikas, 20, who told mid-day that the iron sheet is dangerous as it is slippery and not fixed properly. Kurla police registered an accidental death report and are investigating the matter.

Speaking with mid-day, Vikas, a resident of Manipada in Kalina, said, "On Friday afternoon around 3.30 pm I was returning from my father's boss's house as he has decided to help both of us financially for our studies. I was riding the bike and Anju was sitting behind me. When we reached near Kapadia Nagar, there was a temporary-fixed iron sheet on the road. My bike slipped and both of us fell. I heard Anju scream and ran towards her. She was bleeding, so I immediately got an autorickshaw and took her to Prashanti Nursing Home in Kalina. On the way, she told me that a dumper, which was passing, ran over her."

Anju Sahu, the deceased

"Doctors at the hospital told me her condition was too critical and they have to shift her to Sion Hospital. We arranged an ambulance to take her to Sion hospital. She fell unconscious on the way. Once we reached, doctors kept her on a ventilator. She died a few hours later," he said. He added, "My bike slipped due to this iron sheet which is not properly fixed and moves when vehicles pass. This is dangerous for bikes as bikes slip on plain surfaces. This type of iron sheet should not be used on roads. Whoever is responsible for her death should get the strictest punishment. We don't know who fixed it, but the authority and officer concerned should get punished."

The deceased's brother Vikas Sahu

Sub-inspector Sugriv Munde of Kurla police station said, "We have registered an accidental death report. The postmortem report stated that Anju died due to internal injuries as some vehicle ran over her. Anju was with her brother on bike and their bike slipped outside Kapadia Nagar due to some iron sheet fixed on the road. Her brother's statement is still pending due to the final rites of Anju. We will record his statement and will take action against the authority or the person responsible for both the accident and the death."

Says bike wheels slip on smooth surfaces, such as this iron sheet. Pics/Satej Shinde

"We will check who installed this iron sheet and send a letter to the authorities to check," he said. Anju, who was studying first-year BCom at MMK College in Bandra, lived with her parents Vidyanand and Shyamadevi and brother Vikas.

3.30 pm
Time on Friday when the accident took place